Children and pesticides don't mix

There are some things that go perfectly together: peanut butter and jelly, yin and yang, baseball and spring. But in the case of our kids and lawn chemicals...they don't.

Most of the popular lawn chemicals are dangerous carcinogens and mutagens. Chemically-treated lawn toxins stick to shoes, get tracked indoors and are deposited on rugs, kids’ toys, blankets and clothing. Also, walking barefoot on a chemically-treated lawn affords direct absorption of toxins into the skin through their feet and toes.

Beyond Pesticides has a great fact sheet on why children and pesticides don't mix. Here's some highlights:
1. The National Academy of Sciences reports that children are more vulnerable than adults to the dangerous lawn care pesticides.(1)
2. Studies have linked pesticides to cancer, asthma, hyperactivity and other ailments.(2, 3)
3. A study published in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute finds that household and garden pesticide use can increase the risk of childhood leukemia as much as sevenfold.(4)
4. Scientists believe that the amount of toxic chemicals in the environment that cause developmental and neurological damage are contributing to the rise of physical and mental effects being found in children.(5)
5. A 2005 study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association found that students and school employees are being poisoned by pesticide use at schools and from drift off of neighboring farmlands.(6)

Sobering news. On the other hand, Natural Turf’s organic programs approach is a completely safe, life-affirming process. Compost, seaweed, garlic, corn gluten and other 100% natural products are used to feed the micro-organisms in the soil. These organisms then help make available all the nutrients your lawn – and your family – needs to grow safe and sound.

Contact us to learn more about The Better Way to organic and organic-based lawn care. We look forward to hearing from you.


Sources:
(1) National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences. 1993. Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children, National Academy Press, Washington, DC. 184-185.
(2) Leiss, J., et. al., 1995. Home Pesticide Use and Childhood Cancer: A Case-Control Study. American Journal of Public Health, 85: 249-252.
(3) Repetto, R., et. al., 1996 March. Pesticides and Immune System: The Public Health Risk. World Resources Institute. Washington, DC.
(4) Lowengart, R., et. al., 1987. Childhood Leukemia and Parent's Occupational and Home Exposures. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 79:39.
(5) National Research Council. 2000. Scientific frontiers in developmental toxicology and risk assessment. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; Physicians for Social Responsibility, The National Environmental Trust, The Learning Disabilities Association of America. 2000.
(6) Alarcon, WA., et. al., 2005. Acute illnesses associated with pesticide exposure at school. Journal of the American Medical Association. 294(4); 455-465.

Sparky's Safe Lawn Tip - Tune up and sharpen those mower blades!

"Winter" - wherever it was for the past season - is slipping away, and Spring will be here before we know it.

To prepare for a healthy lawn, be sure to get your lawn mower and lawn mower blades ready. This way, your grass is cut cleanly, allowing the roots to remain intact and the blades to grow evenly.

For more info, here's a great refresher from eHow.com.

What are some of your helpful tricks for prepping your lawn mower?

Happy mowing!

The Environmental Cost of a Perfect Lawn, Part 2

If you caught our previous blog, you know that pesticides leach into our groundwater at an alarming rate. If you don’t use natural lawn care, you’re likely applying between 3 and 10 pounds of toxic pesticides to each acre of your lawn each year, according to the Toxics Information Project. That creates a large amount of trace chemicals which run off into the ground water and wreak environmental havoc.

According to Beyond Pesticides, 16 of 30 commonly used pesticides are dangerous to birds, 24 to fish, and 11 to bees. Dogs exposed to toxic pesticides are twice as likely to develop canine lymphoma, to say nothing of the beneficial insect species that toxic pesticides WIPE OUT. These therapeutic insects are vital to a healthy lawn, and are left intact in high-quality natural lawncare programs.

And pesticides don’t just harm the wildlife. The Georgia State Government says that 50 percent of the U.S. population relies on ground water for drinking water, and children – who are more vulnerable to pesticides because of their small and growing bodies –remain more likely to be exposed to lawn pesticides than adults. The environmental dangers caused by toxic pesticides affect all of us… even those of us who never use them.

An organic lawn care program can break that cycle. Natural turf is stronger and healthier than a lawn treated with toxic pesticides, and a natural lawncare service can bring out the best in your lawn without harming the environment. At Natural Turf, we believe in the positive benefits of an eco-friendly lawn. Our pesticides work with the local ecosystem: keeping insects out of your lawn without blanketing the area in poisons. Our organic lawn care products enrich the soil and strengthen the roots of your grass, maintaining a healthy lawn for years and decades to come. Your organic grass will look great, and more importantly, you’ll safeguard your family and the nearby environment.

When you start today, you’ll be taking a small step to solve a BIG problem. Contact Natural Turf to discuss our natural and organic lawn care programs, inquire about pricing or schedule a free consultation. We’ll show you how green and beautiful a natural lawn can be!